


Midnight Casino

by Itskateak



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alcohol, Business Talk, Canon Character of Color, Canon Trans Character, Gambling, Gen, I mean it takes place in a casino so, Just in general, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Midnight Casino, Multi, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, Without spoilers?, actually there's a lot of canon lgbtq characters...but that's just technicality, apparently, casino - Freeform, have to follow my own tagging rules from tumblr, i don't know what else to add?, i see you ao3 tag of the day, is it a sin to stay organized???, okay now we get back to the serious stuff, shaming of sticky notes, so tag list will be updated as chapters come out and things develop, you're here to shame my sticky note shaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2019-08-26 07:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16677082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itskateak/pseuds/Itskateak
Summary: There was something strange about that place. The one settled down the block from the Strip. Everyone could feel it. It didn't stop them from pouring in the doors, though, gambling and drinking to their heart's content. They're drawn to what hides behind the doors that always seem open. Drawn to the alcohol and the thrill of rolling dice, shuffling cards, clinking coins, and slot machines. Why don't you come visit? Come to the Midnight Casino where all your wildest dreams are made a reality.(An original work of fiction)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has been a story in the works for a while for me, and I'm excited to post it here as it is my first story on here! Any feedback is appreciated, and each chapter is beta read (though I can't guarantee the accuracy at which they critiqued it). This is posted on tumblr and quotev, and will be updated whenever the chapters are written. I hope you enjoy!  
> \- KateAK

Chapter 1

In the darkness of the bedroom, someone stirred at the sound of their alarm. It was around seven in the morning, maybe earlier, and the loud noise had dragged them from their sleep. They sigh, turning over and sliding the phone from under their pillow. The screen flickered to life when they hit the home button, illuminating their face. He squinted against the dim light, shutting the alarm off. Notifications were lined up on the screen from various apps and people. He scrolled through them, looking briefly at the ones from the social media platforms. A couple of texts were from his coworkers, and one came in from his boss as he swiped back up. He buzzed his lips and pressed his thumb against it, rolling onto his back.

 

H: _Hey, King, you left your wallet in the office last night. Will be in the top drawer on the left side of my desk. Use your keys to get it when you clock in today._

 

King closed his eyes and sighed, before typing out his response. _Wilco. Guess I won’t be buying coffee this morning._

 

His boss responded almost immediately, and the message made him roll his eyes.

 

H: _I’ll pick you up and get you some._

He sent a confirmation and sat up, stretching his shoulders. It was still dark in his room, even though the sun had begun to peek through the curtains. He reached for his shirt and set his phone down, blinking the sleep from his eyes. His phone buzzed again, and he assumed it was from his boss. No one else would text him at this hour. Everyone else was probably still in bed, getting some rest before their respective shifts that day.

 

King stood and pulled his shirt over his head before running a hand through his stark white hair. It fluffed out uncontrollably, sticking up in odd directions. He wandered slowly around the side of his bed, shutting off the fan and drawing open the curtains. The light hit his eyes and he squinted again, using his hand to block it. The sun was above the horizon by now, and it looked like it was going to be a nice day. He tripped over the corner of his bed as he walked to his closet, and he swore under his breath.

“Where’d you go?” King mumbled, looking for a pair of dress pants. He found them on a hanger and grabbed them, folding them over his arm. He did that with his dress shirt as well, and the vest, tie, and jacket. He stepped towards the door and opened it, before turning on his heel and grabbing his phone. He moved down the hall to his bathroom, flicking on the light and setting his clothes and phone on the floor.

King slid his lounge pants off his hips and kicked them off, leaving them on the ground. He grabbed the dress pants from the pile and pulled them on, only doing the top button. He found his undershirt and glanced at his appearance in the mirror. King looked back a moment later and a smile broke out on his face. He shook his head and put the shirt on, straightening it out.

King picked up his toothbrush and ran water over it, before getting some toothpaste and sticking it in his mouth. He met his own blue eyes in the mirror, and they flickered in the light. He turned away and picked up his deodorant, putting some on. His weight shifted to one side, and he heard his front door open. His head turned slightly and he stopped moving for a moment, listening. Keys jingled, and he returned to get ready.

“King?” A raspy voice called. His visitor cleared his throat, and their footsteps moved towards his living room. “Dakota?”

“Bathroom. And don’t call me Dakota. You know I hate that.” He yelled around his toothbrush before he leaned over and spit into the sink. The water drowned out his boss’ response. When he straightened up, he saw his reflection in the doorway.

“If you hate it, why is it still your first name?” He teased, giving a lopsided grin to King. His voice was much softer and smoother now but still held the previous roughness. It was like he had been yelling all night, which he probably had been. He rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth on a nearby towel.

“Shut up. Go wait in the living room, you jerk.” King bent over and took his white button-down shirt from the floor. His boss disappeared from the doorway as he slid the shirt on. He tucked his undershirt into his pants, then buttoned up the button-down. He fixed the cuffs and collar before tucking that into his pants as well.

“Where are those files I asked you to sign?” His boss asked, sounding near the kitchen. King poked his head out as he put on his navy blue tie. He looked down the hall and furrowed his brow.

“They should be on the coffee table.” He called back, returning to his mirror to check that his tie was straight. He sighed and pulled his vest on, buttoning up the front. Everything was tailored perfectly to him, showing off his strong chest and shoulders. He combed through his hair and tamed it with some water. It flattened down easily and it all went in the same direction, now. He spritzed his cologne on quickly before grabbing his jacket and put his phone in his pocket. He flicked the lights off on his way out.

King walked down the hall to his bedroom and opened a drawer, finding a pair of socks. He returned to the hall and made his way to the living room. His boss stood near the coffee table holding a manila folder and looking at a few papers inside it. His chocolate brown eyes were scanning along the lines of text, focused and sharp. He ran a hand over the stubble on his strong jawline as he read, biting the inside of his cheek lightly.

His boss was taller than him, with broader shoulders and a stronger frame. Where King’s features were soft, his were sharp. His hair was black and tousled lightly, the waviness untamed in the daylight. The sides were kept short, but he liked to leave the top longer. He, too, wore a tailored suit, but his tie and vest were missing and the top few buttons were undone. He looked up, meeting his gaze.

King looked away quickly, taking a seat on one of his chairs. He pulled his socks on and slipped into his dress shoes, lacing them up. He could feel his stare on him, and he pulled his phone from his pocket to hide his unease. The text from his boss had just been a smile emoticon. He let out a small laugh.

“These all aren’t signed. I expect them done by tomorrow.” He said, tossing the file back on the table. “Are you ready to go?” He nodded and stood, rolling his shoulders back and putting his phone away. King grabbed his jacket and slid it on, adjusting his sleeves and moving into the kitchen to find his keys. He clipped the key ring to his belt loop and gave his boss a brief smile before they exited his apartment. The other man locked the door and took the lead. King walked at a faster pace to keep up with him.

“You got here fairly quickly.” He commented, fixing his jacket’s collar. He glanced at him over his shoulder, gaze catching his.

“I was on my way over anyway.”

“Why?” 

“What, you need a reason? Can’t I just drop by my friend’s house from time to time?” He responded, starting down the staircase to the parking garage. King snorted lightly and shook his head, following him quickly. “I can still take back my offer.” Despite the threat, a smile started to pull at the corner of his lips.

“No, Hades, I’m serious.” He placed his hand on Hades’ shoulder to stop him on the landing. Hades turned and ran a hand through his hair, effectively making the tangled mess worse. He fell silent for a few seconds as if thinking of how to respond. King knew he was trying to come up with a believable lie. He tilted his head.

“I was running out to our supplier to place an order for whiskey. We’re getting low on a couple brands. C’mon.” Hades jerked his head towards the stairs and continued downwards. King rolled his eyes and glanced over the railing. The heat wasn’t that bad in the morning, but he could tell it would be fairly warm later in the afternoon. The view from the open stairwell expanded across a few miles to the city. The Strip could be seen from the third floor and up of the apartment building, which was where his apartment was. Greenery was spotted between the buildings and streets. He started down after Hades.

“I’ll pretend you didn’t just lie to me.” A comfortable silence settled between them for the rest of the floors, and it was only a couple of minutes before they reached the parking garage. Hades’ black sports car was parked not too far away. He opened the door for King, who sank into the seat, and shut it once he was in. He crossed in front of the car and gets in the driver’s side, tossing his wallet inside. It hit King’s thigh, bouncing off slightly and landing on the seat beside his leg. He dropped in and slammed his door shut, putting his phone in a cup-holder. King put his wallet in the one next to it. The screen of his phone lit up as a stream of various notifications poured in.

“You’re certainly popular this morning,” He teased, leaning forward to change the radio station. Hades sighed and grabbed his phone, clearing all of the messages and switching it to silent. He returned it to the cup-holder and changed the station back. King reached to adjust it again, be he slapped his hand lightly.

“My pick.” He started the car and the dashboard flickered to life. The music came on quietly. King groaned and shot a glare at him. He hated the old rock station, but Hades loved it. They had always argued over the music in the car and usually settled on silence if they couldn’t compromise. “What?”

“I didn’t like this music then, and I still don’t like it now,” King complained, pulling the seat-belt over his shoulder and clicking it into place.

“Well, I’m taking you for coffee and I’m driving. It’s my pick. You can choose when we head to work, alright?” He smiled and squinted against the sun as he pulled out onto the street.

“Fine. Where are we going?” King asked, glancing over at him. His eyes melted in the sun and looked like caramel, warm and friendly. A song came on that he recognized, but didn’t know the lyrics to. Hades obviously knew them because he turned up the volume and his smile grew wider.

“There’s a small cafe just down the road called Fair Grounds. One of our…friends will be there this morning on a date. I think it’s about time we paid her a small visit.” He replied, leaning back against the seat. King nodded in understanding and fell silent, listening to Hades sing along to the music. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the drumming when there were breaks, and he bobbed his head along to the beat. King closed his eyes and leaned his head against the window.

 

*~*~*~*

 

“Hey, sleeping beauty.” Hades shook him lightly, and he startled awake, hands coming up in a defensive position. Hades pulled back and held his hands up loosely. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” King ran a hand over his face and sighed.

“It’s okay. It was just...well...you know.” Hades smiled sympathetically and placed his hand on King’s knee in a gesture of comfort. “It’s a good thing we’re going out for coffee this morning.” He yawned and opened his door, stepping out into the sun. Hades followed and locked the doors. They met at the front of the car and King looked up at the small cafe.

There was a sign that read ‘Fair Grounds’ and it was painted to look like a circus. A silhouette of a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and a carousel was most prominent with colors of red and white in the background. The cafe itself was fairly small, and the exterior was painted pink. Large windows revealed many tables scattered around the small establishment, and a few people were sitting at them. One or two people stood behind the counter, taking someone’s order and making friendly conversation.

Hades held the door open for him, and he nodded to thank him. The smell of sweets and coffee hit him as he stepped in. They walked up behind the current customer, standing side by side. A police officer sat in the corner scrolling on his phone. A couple sat talking quietly, and the woman laughed and placed her hand on the man’s. A younger couple sat on the other side, holding hands and sitting quietly. One of the girls cast a wary glance at them, and King gave them a friendly smile and made a small heart with his hands. Both girls visibly relaxed and relieved smiles broke out on their faces. Hades stepped up towards the counter and gently pulled King’s arm.

“Hi! Welcome to Fair Grounds. What can I get for you?” The man at the counter greeted them, grinning. His name tag read James, and his hair was dyed a bright blue. Hades glanced over the menu briefly. King turned his head at the sound of someone’s voice, and his gaze landed on the older couple by the window.

“Just a black coffee, please. Nothing in it.” He narrowed his eyes slightly at the woman, tilting his head.

“And for you?” James asked, leaning forward to get his attention. Hades turned and lightly tapped his shoulder.

“King.” He looked back and gave an apologetic smile.

“Uh, a latte, please.” James nodded and gave them their total. Hades pulled his card from his wallet and passed it to him. They talked back and forth for a few seconds as the transaction went through. King watched him sign his name on the screen.

“Thanks for doing business with us! We have a few empty tables if you want to hang around for a bit.” Hades thanked James and led King to a table near the older couple. He sat down facing them, looking over Hades’ shoulder at the woman for a brief second.

“So, what’s the game plan for this one?” Hades leaned forward, lowering his voice.

“We should wait until she stands to use the bathroom, or leave...or perhaps as we leave, I pull out my phone and “drop” the ace next to her.” King mused. He nodded and glanced back at the couple. James waved at them, signaling their drinks were ready. Hades stood and walked to the counter, picking up the hot beverages. He turned his head and gestured to the door. King stood and crossed the room towards the door, briefly pausing as he walked by the couple’s table. He reached for his phone in his pocket as he passed and “accidentally” dropped an ace of spades on the floor. The woman stopped and leaned over, picking it up.

“Sir, is this yours? I think you dropped this.” She said, holding it out to him. He turned and smiled.

“No, sorry. I don’t think it’s mine, Karen.” She looked down at the playing card, then back up at him. She paled and her mouth dropped open. “Have a good day.” He smiled and met Hades at the door.

“What’s wrong?” He heard Karen’s date ask. “What is that?”

“It’s...it’s nothing. I think I need to go.” She responded, voice trembling. King winked at Hades as they left the cafe. They started laughing once outside. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand. Hades bit his lip and passed him the coffee.

“That ran smoothly. You think we’ll be hearing from her soon?” He choked slightly on his laughter. Hades shrugged and unlocked the car.

“Hopefully. Honestly, I think she should join her husband six feet under.” He dropped into his seat. King crossed in front of the car and passed the coffee to him before he got in beside him.

“I agree, but that’s what we made the deal for.” He sighed, taking a sip from his cup. “And that’s life, I guess. Has Nyx gotten back to you on that, by the way?”

“Yeah. She said he’s somewhere out in the desert. Didn’t give me details, but she’s always been like that.” Hades turned the car on, and King reached over and changed the station to a mixed radio station that plays a bit of everything. He grinned and crossed his ankles. Hades rolled his eyes and pulled out into traffic, headed straight for the Strip and the Midnight Casino. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh! I'm so thankful to everyone reading this and giving feedback. This has been like my child for over a year now and I'm so excited to continue to write this!   
> \- KateAK

Chapter 2

_The Midnight Casino_ wasn't a new business, but compared to the others on the Strip, it was more modern than the Excalibur or the Luxor. It had only opened in the early twenty-first century, but it had no trouble pulling in patrons. The building was comprised of dark blues, blacks, and silvers. The overhangs, doors, and windows were trimmed with soft, blinking lights in fading gold and white. It was one of the smaller of the businesses standing at three stories tall. Although only two of them were open to the public. The front doors were always kept open with two long-time employed security guards keeping watch. A luminescent sign had  _ Midnight Casino _ lit up with golden lights, accompanied by an ace of spades, ace of hearts, and a joker card underneath the logo. The lights were never on during the day, and nothing in the building ever looked the same when it was closed compared to when it was open and filled with life. 

Hades pulled into the back parking lot and turned off his car. He grabbed his phone and checked the time, sighing. He held his thumb on a notification before responding. 

"Anything important?" King teased, leaning over to look over his shoulder. Hades hummed, obviously not quite hearing him. He turned his head and playfully shoved King back over.

"Mind your business, you nosy twit."

"It  _ is  _ my business if it's important to  _ our  _ business." He protested, shoving him back. Hades snickered and shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah. It was Nathan. Jack's coming in to do his check-in tomorrow. He says they'll be here around six." He made a face and grinned. "So expect them to show up at seven."

King gathered his coffee and phone before exiting the car. He set the cup on the hood, scrolling through his own notifications. Hades stretched as he stood, yawning. They met at the front of the vehicle, sliding phones into pockets and grabbing their coffee. They walked together to the staff entrance. King passed his cup off to his taller companion. He fumbled with his keys and unlocked the door. They passed through, and he disabled the alarm before it went off.

The casino itself wouldn't open until four in the afternoon, but it wasn't uncommon for staff members to come in early. There was always something to be done before customers could be let in. He took his coffee back, and they both walked down the hallway, flicking on the lights. The staff entrance emptied into the hall by the small break room. Hades stopped in and started a pot of coffee for any other staff members that happened to come in. The central part of the casino was still dark, but they found their way easily to the hallway that led to their offices. It was concealed by a curtain that was closed during operating hours. King unlocked his office and shut the door behind him.

The walls of his office were dark blue, and there were various paintings hung. A filing cabinet was pushed into the back corner behind the mahogany desk, where a computer sat idle. A large stack of manilla folders sat on one edge of the desk, waiting for him. He set his phone and coffee cup on the desk before removing his jacket and hanging it on the coat stand in the corner by the door. He turned on a tall lamp, then powered on the computer before rounding his desk.

"I guess I'll get started, then," King mumbled, sinking into his desk chair and pulling a file towards him. He opened it up and read over the lines of text. He took down the name and number of the business owner, before flipping through the rest of the pages. It was all essential information about a possible sponsorship from a music company. New products for the stage, money grants, the usual things he looked over and decided upon. He set the file aside with his signature and a note on top to hand off to his boss. He checked company email when his computer flickered to life.

It wasn't long before someone knocked on his door before bouncing in. She grinned brightly and waved to her manager, moving to the sign-in sheet on a nearby table that was pushed to the corner. 

"Morning, Cici." He greeted, glancing up from his paperwork. "You're on the clock already?"

"Robert asked me to help out this morning. Something about paid overtime and well, you know I'm hurtin' for rent this month with Ma's medical bills and all." She leaned down and took the pen by the sign-in sheet and began to fill it out. Cici Shelton was a short, black woman who had enough confidence in herself to outshine Narcissus. The heat wasn't good for her naturally curly hair, which sprung out around her face like a mane of a lion. Somehow, King figured, she managed to keep it exactly how she wanted it. She was a waitress at their in house restaurant and the manager of the waiting staff. She'd worked there for a couple of years, and was a welcome light to their team. 

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you need any help, I'm sure Hades would be willing to give you a hand. If not him, I'll pitch in. How is your mother, anyway?" He rested his chin on his hand. Cici tossed her hair out of the way when she straightened up, giving him an affectionate look. 

"She's doin' really well after this recent surgery. Doctors hope she'll be up and moving by Saturday, but we still have to wait for the post-op examination. The usual. Thanks for the offer, King. Y'all have been so good to us." She gathered her purse and opened the door to leave. 

"What's your Mom's favorite flower?" He called. 

"Daffodils." Cici blew a bubble with her gum and popped it before winking and shutting the door. King noted that on a notepad, and commented to send Mrs. Shelton a vase of them. 

As he worked over the morning, other staff members entered his office to clock in. They all chatted with him for a few minutes before going out to their duties. Various waiting staff members came in, along with floor staff and other attendants. The other managers showed up within a short period of each other, having to be there around one in the afternoon to start their pre-shift prep. 

Adrian Carina worked the casino's second floor and was King's go-to when he needed someone to cover for him. He usually dealt games of Blackjack and watched over the slot machines. He was tall and lanky, with long legs and fingers. He was from Spain and had a slight accent. His wavy hair was down to his shoulders in a dark brown, which matched his dark brown eyes that were deep-set in an angular shape. His face was comprised of sharp angles, and he had heavy eyebrows that tapered off. He smiled kindly at King when he signed in, dark brown eyes shifting to warm mocha and back. 

Nian Zhen was of Chinese descent from a very strict family. She was originally from England, though, and had an accent to match. She had a round face and soft brown eyes that could look black in the dim lighting of the casino's later hours. Her black hair was always pulled back out of her face. She was of average height and build, but was known to be a strict and fiercely loyal manager. She worked the bar on the first level, known as the  _ 6PM _ . She was trustworthy and kind but had little tolerance to those who were rude to the younger bartender who worked with her. 

King yawned as he pushed back in his chair, rubbing at his eyes. Paperwork had always made his head hurt after a while. He glanced at the clock on the wall before standing. He adjusted his vest, straightening it in the mirror. The casino opened in half an hour, and as the head manager, he still had to go through the opening process. The door to Hades' office was closed, and King could hear his low voice as he spoke to someone on the phone. He cracked a smile and knocked lightly.

"Just a minute, please." King shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited, gaze on his shoes. His thoughts trailed off as he went over his mental checklist for opening. He had to check with each of the managers before opening up the floor he manned. He was a dealer at the craps table with the high rollers. His table was usually full of regulars who liked playing with him. "Alright, come in."

He opened the door and poked his head in before fully entering. The room had a couple of lamps around, but they were dim. Hades had always liked working in low light. His desk sat in the middle of the room, and he sat behind the computer. His jacket was over the back of his chair. He had put on a deep red tie and black vest. He looked up and gave a soft smile. 

"I'm heading out to start opening procedures. You have my wallet, right?" King approached his desk. 

"Oh, yeah. Here," Hades opened a drawer on his right and pulled out a black leather wallet. He passed it over to the white-haired man. The cold metal of the silver ring on Hades' index finger brushed against King's hand. He slid the wallet into his pocket. 

"There are some files on my desk with a sticky note on top. They need your signature. If you can do that for me, I'd appreciate that." Hades hummed and waved his hand slightly as if he were saying he'd get to it. Satisfied, King started for the door. He opened it and walked halfway out, before turning back and poking his head in. "Oh, by the way, you should pick out a bouquet of daffodils to send to Mrs. Shelton. She's recovering from another surgery." 

"I suppose you have a sticky note on your desk to remind you about  _ that _ , too, right?" Hades teased, and King stuck his tongue out at him.

"At least I have some sort of system to keep me organized. We have a business to run, and if  _ I'm  _ organized, then I can keep  _ you  _ organized." 

"Sure. Don't act like you don't like the colors." 

"Careful, Hades. I'll ‘forget' to leave a note reminding you of our meeting tomorrow with the big boss. And knowing you as long as I have, you  _ will  _ forget about it." With that, he shut the door, hearing his boss yelling in protest through the door. He snickered to himself as he made his way down the hall and into the central part of the casino.

The lights were turned on, sparkling and bright. They lit up the solid black walkways, reflecting off the quartz flecks and making the ground look like the night sky. The playing areas looked like a chessboard with white quartz squares offsetting black squares. All tables and other furniture were made of dark wood and a deep blue velvet. Silver metal accented detailed patterns on the corners of playing tables and benches that were scattered around the walkways, pressed against walls. The building had two different wings coming off a center circle. The left-wing had a large staircase near the entrance that led up to the second floor where the slot machines were. In the middle of the ring, which was a straight shot from the doors, was  _ The 6PM _ . 

_ The 6PM _ was the only bar in the casino. It had the glasses hung from racks that extended down from the ring of lights that were suspended from the ceiling around the large, functioning clock-face that was set into the ceiling. The liquor was stored in a rack in the middle of the bar. The bar itself was a full circle, and the clock could be seen and read accurately from all angles. It wasn't uncommon to see a couple of patrons scattered around  _ The 6PM _ , drinking and chatting with the bartenders. Behind the bar, and across from the entrance, was a stage that had a live band that played every night. To the right of the stage was  _ Limelight _ , a restaurant that served all types of food. The staff were friendly and separately managed, so King had little contact with anyone other than Cici and Robert, the top manager. 

There were no windows, as most casinos don't, but the time could always be figured by the lights. From opening to midnight, the lights slowly dimmed at the mark of every hour. The staff that had worked there for a while could even tell the around the minute just by the lighting. When midnight struck, the entire casino would go completely dark until one minute after. Then, black lights flickered on until one in the morning, where the lights would slowly brighten until closing hit. It was one of the features that made the casino unique. 

King approached The 6PM, hands sunk in his pockets. The managers on duty were sitting or leaned around the bar. Nian was already working, drying glasses that had just been washed while chatting with Adrian. Cici was laughing brightly at something Robert had said.

"Afternoon, everyone." He greeted and got a chorus of greetings back. "Where's Piper?"

"He's running late today. Something about his family visiting. I didn't press since he didn't look like he wanted to talk about it. I think his dad was taking him to lunch today." Nian responded, looking distantly concerned. 

"I'll check in with him later, then. Is  _ Limelight  _ ready to open?" He started to go through his checklist of opening procedures, drilling his managers on what they needed to do. The machines upstairs were up and running, and the tables had been cleaned. The decks of cards had been replaced to keep a fair game, and the bar was restocked. King nodded when he finished, satisfied with his staff. He knew they were more than capable, and that's what he loved about them. 

"What's the frequency change?" Adrian asked, gesturing to the earpiece hung around his neck. They used coms to communicate with each other through the building. They usually used it to call other staff members for help, or to call security, or things of that sort. 

"General is still channel one. This level is channel two, and upper level is three. Restaurant specific is four, and five is managers only. Six is still Hades' private line, and any channels after that are private lines. The only thing that changed is we got rid of channel ten. We don't need that many channels. Today, though, anything going to Hades needs to be paged to me first. Jack's checking in tomorrow, so he's going through records and statistics and things. He'll be on the floor at his usual time." He leaned on the bar's countertop, folding his hands.

"Wouldn't want that job, eh? I couldn't stare at our stats all day." Cici popped another bubble.

"I've already done my share of filing and record keeping. I'm at least organized, so it only took me a couple of hours to pull the files we needed." He responded.

"Did you have it written down on your sticky notes?" Nian poked her head out from under the bar, voice slightly muffled.

"Seriously? Does  _ everyone  _ have to shame me for trying to stay organized?" King sighed in fake exasperation but smiled despite himself. Everyone cracked up, laughing fondly with each other. That's really what he loved about his staff. They weren't just coworkers anymore. They were a strange, dysfunctional family. He looked up at the clock and grinned broadly. 

"Coms in everyone. It's time."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, posting chapters back to back! I'm all up to speed on my finished and looked over chapters, so I must leave you on a cliffhanger, unfortunately. I appreciate all the feedback!  
> -KateAK

Chapter 3

  
Patrons trickled in, noise slowly beginning to fill the space. The band struck up, playing blues and jazz that could be heard throughout the whole building. People sat around the bar, chatting with Nian, and making orders. The regulars who knew her were more friendly than others, staying to talk a while longer. Cici had flounced off to the restaurant and was already seating people and talking animatedly with them. Adrian had retreated upstairs, starting a game of blackjack with some of the regulars. King had walked back to his table, taking up his deck of cards and beginning to shuffle them. He had decided to open today with poker.

The cards were familiar to him and a welcome comfort, and he mindlessly passed them back and forth through each other. He stared off at the blue velvet of the table, brows slightly furrowed in thought. He caught his lip between his teeth for a moment, turning his gaze back to the shuffled cards.

"Hey there, King!" His head shot up, and he grinned.

"Hey, Tom. How're you doing?"

"I'm doin' really well, thank you. And yourself?" Tom crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the poker table. He was a regular who played nearly every weekend.

"I'm just a bit tired, but that'll wear off soon." King knew almost all of his regulars by name and somehow managed to keep them straight. "How's Jordan doing?"

"He got that job I was telling you about. The one in California with the music studio." Tom smiled fondly.

"Well, pass on my congratulations, then. Does that mean you're moving over the mountains?" He reshuffled the cards before placing them face down on the table.

"Yeah, in a couple of weeks. I'll still come to visit you." He lightly punched King's bicep, and they laughed. "I see you're dealing today?"

"Yep, just a change of routine. Felt like switching it up." He shrugged, a pleasant expression becoming his neutral. "Something in the air, I guess. The change feels good."

"I feel that, too. The move, I mean. A change will do us both good, eh? Anyway, what's the buy-in today?" Other regulars started to gather, smiling, and greeting King. He waved back at them. Once there were enough around the table, he picked up the cards.

"You know me. I don't do buy-ins. Only high stakes." King winked and the table _ooh'd_ and laughed. "I'm just kidding. Who's up for a game or two?" Tom raised his hand and took a seat, while Elizabeth and Gracie took their place a couple of chairs down. Jacob filled in between them, and Dan followed suit. King shuffled again for good measure, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows. He dealt the cards out, and the players assumed their neutral face, hiding their cards behind their expression.

King played fairly as the house, not betraying anything with his reactions. A floor worker passed by and delivered a glass of whiskey to him. He thanked them and took a small sip. The game went on, and he glanced around every so often to keep an eye on other games and workers. He tapped his foot to the music and nodded his head along every so often. His sharp eye caught everything around him, and he could tell what way the game was going to end. These were mostly the people who he had played with for years. But even if they weren't, he was still very keen on spotting body language and patterns. The winning player folded her hand and beat out the rest.

"Congrats, Gracie. Here are your winning chips. Head on down to the cash-in counter and claim your prize." King grinned, passing the chips to her. He collected the cards and glanced at the clock. "It's only five-thirty. That was a fairly long game." He mentioned, shuffling the cards. His glass was empty by now, and he picked it up. "Excuse me, everyone. I've got to get a refill." The table laughed, and others raised a glass in return.

"Hey, King." Nian's voice played in the com. "Piper's here. He looks a little shaken up. Would you mind checking up on him?" He backed away from the table and pressed the button clipped to his collar to respond.

"Headed that way, now. Thanks, Nian." King quickly walked down to the _6PM_ , smiling to people who called his name. Nian was chatting with a couple of people, leaned against the counter while she dried off a glass. She flagged him down with a wave of her hand and excused herself from the patrons. She came out from behind the bar and approached him. "Hey, what's up?"

"Piper insisted on getting to work, but he's unfocused. He seems out of it. I'm honestly really concerned about him." She glanced over her shoulder at the other bartender who was serving people quietly. King followed her stare and fell silent for a moment, studying him.

Piper Ferris was a newer employee, having only worked at the casino for about a year. He was shorter than most and had a petite frame. He had soft blue eyes and sandy brown hair the was cut short on the sides but left a bit longer on the top. Freckles dotted themselves across the bridge of his nose and cheeks, a light brown dusting across his paler skin. He had a strong jawline, but a general shape about him that was reminiscent of feminine qualities. He was a quiet-spoken and soft individual, with a huge smile and dimples. That smile was missing, now, and King understood why Nian would be worried. Piper's family wasn't the most accepting or tolerant family for many things, and his father was the worst out of all of them.

"Thanks, Nian. I'll talk to him." King put his hand on her shoulder before brushing past her. He sat down on one of the stools near Piper and set his glass down. "Evening, Piper." He greeted, giving the young bartender a gentle smile.

"Hey, King. Here for a refill?" Piper was quieter than usual, and King had to strain a bit to hear him properly.

"Nah. I came to check on you. Nian told me your father took you to lunch today. You okay?" He asked, and Piper turned towards him. His face crumpled for a moment like he was going to cry before he took a deep breath.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Of course, darlin'. We can go to my office." King stood and walked with him around the bar, waiting for him to exit. Nian mouthed a thank you to her boss. King placed his hand on Piper's upper back, gently steering him through the crowd towards his office. They didn't speak, but he could feel the bartender shaking. The sound of applause drifted over the sound of cheers and chatter. The band struck up again, a swing song by an older artist that almost everyone knows the words to, and the music was back to being a constant underlying sound. King opened the curtain to the hallway where his office was, letting Piper go in ahead of him.

"Let me open the door." He pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, letting it swing open. Piper followed him in and softly shut the door. "So, what happened?" King leaned his lower back against his desk, hands resting on his legs.

"Well, my Dad took me to lunch, like Nian said. It started off okay, and we talked like a normal son and father would. I was hesitant and anxious to go in the first place, and I guess he knew that because he acted nice for a while to ease me. And then...well, he started his usual spiel." Piper sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. He looked like he was going to cry, but he continued. "He said that I'm just doing this for attention, and that I need to go to therapy because it's not normal, and that I'm mentally ill. That I'm confused. It's just a phase...He kept deadnaming me and using she and her...and he said that Mom and the rest of the family are running out of patience."

"What did he mean by that, Piper?" King furrowed his brow, lowering his voice. He was well aware of how awful Piper's father could be, especially when he went on his transphobic rants. He had stepped in a few times while Mister Ferris was visiting and even threatened to kick him out if he didn't leave amicably.

"Mom has always been a little more lenient and accepting, but she always had limitations. I couldn't wear certain things. Sometimes she refused to call me by my actual name. And my siblings, well...they take after Dad." He dropped his gaze. "Mom was the one keeping my Dad from doing what he really wants. He started to get more irritated the longer we were there. I guess I snapped or something, because I told him to back off and that if he didn't like it, he didn't need to talk to me. He got angry and stormed out. Before he did, though, he threatened to disown me and cut me off from the entire family." Piper stopped, closing his eyes. He was quiet for a minute, then his shoulders started to shake, and he sniffled.

"Oh, darling, come here." King stood and held his arms out. Piper crossed the room to him and buried his face in his shoulder. King rubbed his back as he softly cried, muttering comforting words to him. "I know, Piper, I know. You're always welcome here." He was prepared to stay there as long as the bartender needed. Their relationship had always been a little more than what was normal in a work setting. But then again, the entire staff had closer ties than typical coworkers usually did.

King had always been more of a fatherly presence in Piper's life than anything. The bartender was young, and his home life was rough. It was an instinct, and King knew Hades felt the same way. The casino had become his safe place, and they did all that they could to keep it that way. He rested his chin on Piper's head, and Piper took a deep breath. He pulled away and wiped at his eyes.

"Sorry." He apologized, averting his gaze.

"You don't need to say sorry, kid. You're strong, but everyone needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes. Your Dad's just being a close-minded jerk. You're twenty-two, kid. You _don't_ have to let him, or any of them, run your life. If they don't want to accept you as you are, then you don't have to let them in your life." King gave him a serious look. "You hear me?"

"Y-Yeah, loud and clear." Piper sniffed, and King turned around, grabbing a box of tissues of his desk and extending it to Piper. "Thanks." He dabbed at his eyes and blew his nose before cracking a smile and beginning to giggle.

"What's so funny?" King asked, giving him a curious look.

"I got a free meal out of all this." King chuckled and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Always gotta look on the bright side, eh? Anyways, kid, take a breather and then get to work." King pushed off his desk and gave the bartender another hug. "Call me if you need anything, okay? You matter more than the job."

"Okay. Thanks, King." Piper smiled broadly, dimples showing up. This made King smile. Piper's smile always made him happy because he knew what the young man had been through. His smile was a reminder that he was still there.

King left his office, knowing Piper would turn off the lights and lock it when he left. He ducked through the velvet curtains, pulling on the bottom of his vest to straighten it out. As he walked through the waves of people, he pushed up on his tie to tighten it back in place and began his rounds. The casino had become his home, and it was where he felt the most comfortable. The feeling of moving between people. The slight smell of smoke and whiskey that permeated the place. The sound of heels on marble, dice rolling, poker chips being stacked, jazz and swing music, joy at winning, and despair at losing. Colors spun around him, different people, and walks of life moving before him — each unique and different from the last.

He passed the restaurant, watching Cici flit between tables and people, chatting brightly and making people laugh. She was a very animated person, and her bubbly personality made everyone at ease. He lifted a hand in greeting to her, and she waved back, sending a wink his way. The stage was next to the restaurant and was where their live band was playing. There were people seated with drinks watching and listening, and some spent their whole visit just listening to music.

King had been particular about the music in the casino. He didn't want to have any of the modern music, but rather keep some aspects of the 1920s. Hades agreed wholeheartedly with his choice, which wasn't as rare as most people thought, and hired the group that played most nights. Their specialty was mostly jazz, but they played swing and blues as well. He mouthed the words to the current old jazz song, smiling to himself when he remembered them. He glanced over to the bar to make sure all was well, and Nian was holding down the bar on her own fairly well. He spotted Piper stepping behind the counter with a smile. He took the stairs up to the second level, the smell of smoke becoming stronger.

Another thing Hades and King had agreed on was that the first level was going to be smoke-free. They understood people had tolerance issues, and it was only fair they offer an equal experience to everyone.

The second floor was a bit dimmer and full of the sounds of slot machines. It was a bit louder up here due to chatter and the machines, and lights flashed with each winning role of a slot player. King didn't frequent this floor often, just by the nature of things. Adrian could take care of things easily enough, and it was rare he had to call for King. The blackjack tables were right near the staircase, and Adrian was running one of them. They nodded at one another, indicating they saw the other. King made the rounds around the second floor, walking between some of the machines and checking others. He stopped by Adrian's table when he came back around, standing with his hands sunk in his pockets and watching quietly.

"Uh, King? We've got an issue down here." The voice in his ear sounded concerned and a bit scared. "Need you ASAP."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a longer break now after this chapter, which sucks but I have to write more. :P  
> Thanks to Critique Genie who helped me out on this one. (I use CritiqueMatch to find partners to work with)  
> Thanks for all the feedback! We're almost at 100 hits and I'm very grateful.  
> \- KateAK

 

Chapter 4

 

“What’s wrong, Piper?” King asked, quickly turning on his heel and heading for the stairs. “What happened?”

“There’s a couple of guys down here becoming belligerent. They’ve had a few drinks, and it’s starting to escalate.” He descended the stairs as fast as he could, avoiding people and blurting apologies as he went. He looked up through the crowd. Two fairly large men were arguing and getting in the other’s face. He picked up the pace when the taller of the two cock back a fist and aim to strike. “King!”

“Yeah, I know. I’m almost there. Take a few steps back from the counter and move any glasses out of reach.” He ordered, weaving through people. A few gasps cut through the crowd, and people started to clear a small circle around the two men. King started to move more aggressively towards them, pushing patrons out of the way.

“Hey, break it up!” he called, earning no reaction. The shorter man grabbed the other’s collar and slugged him in the jaw. They both went at each other, throwing punches and cussing. King fought to get between them, gaining a hard hit to the left side of his jaw. An elbow jammed into his ribs, knocking the wind out of him for a moment. He stopped to catch his breath, the feeling of being airless causing a shock of panic to run up his spine. King choked, trying to take in a breath. It took a few moments, but he finally started to draw in air again.

He pushed the men apart, giving both of them a separate glare. “That’s enough. This isn’t the type of establishment where you can start bar fights. Both of you, come with me.” He grabbed the upper arm of both of them, leading them with a bit of force to his office. The taller one resisted, but soon obeyed once getting a side-eye glare from King.

“Where are we going?” Daniel, King realized, asked. He had seen him around a few times, and it was by his voice that he recognized the shorter man. The other kept his gaze turned away, refusing to speak.

“My office.” People parted to allow them through, some of them knowing the look on King’s face. Security usually dealt with the more physical fights, but he always wanted to give the offending parties a chance to talk it out or negotiate.

King opened his office door and indicated for them to sit. He rounded his desk and sat down, sighing. King took a moment to study both of them. One was tall and strongly built with dark hair and eyes. He might’ve been a mechanic or a construction worker, considering the uniform with his name under his jacket. Brendan was gruff and obviously not intimidated by King. He had been recently laid off from his job, and was using his last paycheck to gamble and drink. The disheveled look of his hair was a big indicator, since King knew he usually came in after cleaning up from work.

Daniel had light hair and dark eyes. He gave the impression of taking martial arts in his free time to keep active at a desk job. He didn’t usually drink or get into fights, but this week had been particularly tough, King figured. He noticed the absence of a wedding band on his left hand, but the tan line indicated there had been one there. He figured it was either a divorce or his partner was leaving him for someone else.

“Honestly, gentlemen.” King started, folding his hands on the desk. “I have no idea what to say. This isn’t how we do things around here. Brendan, I understand how hard it is to be fired, but you can’t go around doing things like this. If you end up being arrested, it will hinder your ability to find another job.” He looked to the taller one, who turned white and went slack-jawed.

“How...how did you know?”

“And you, Daniel. This isn’t a normal occurrence for you, is it? I’ve seen you once or twice, and I took you for a respectable man. I understand how difficult it must be that your partner is leaving you. Still, it gives you no excuse to get drunk and start fights.” Daniel gulped, looking frightened. “I’m disappointed in you both, and I expect that you won’t do this again. Because, if you do, it won’t end well for you.” The light shifted behind King’s eyes, causing them to seem like they were glowing with a promise.

“Of course. I’m sorry.” Daniel stuttered, face pallid. “Please, just don’t hurt us.”

“Hurt you? Oh, no, darling. I wouldn’t hurt you.” He chuckled sinisterly, leaning back. He flashed a dark smile, the light showing his teeth sharper, almost fang-like. “I’d tear you apart. Are we understood?”

“Yes. We understand you.” Brendan responded, nodding quickly.

“Good. Now get out of my sight before I lose my patience with you. Leave in opposite directions. If you don’t, the security will alert me, and it will not be pretty for you. Go.” The men nodded and stood, leaving as soon as they could. They were both pale and shaking and suddenly couldn’t remember why they had been fighting in the first place. They only felt the urge to leave as fast as possible.

King sighed after the door shut, and gently rubbed his cheek. Brendan’s hit was hard, and the pain had just started to register. He winced and swallowed, tasting blood. He stood, a hand resting on his desk. He moved to the mirror, turning his head this way and that, looking at the red mark on his cheek. His ribs starting to sting and ache, and he huffed in annoyance. King opened the door and knocked on the one across from his.

“Yeah, come in,” Hades called, and he didn’t hesitate to enter and close the door behind him.

“Hey, you still have that first aid kit in here?” he asked, glancing around. He tried to sound casual.

“Uh, yeah. What happened to your face?” Hades stood, brow furrowed.

“I had to break up a fight. One of them had a nasty right hook and a sharp elbow.” Hades gently turned his face to look at the red mark, grimacing slightly. “I think it looks worse than it feels.”

“Oh, that’s gonna be nasty. Sit on my desk. Let me grab some ice for you.” He turned away, hand lingering on the side of King’s face for a moment. King boosted himself up onto the desk, wincing. He stared at the wall, massaging his jaw slowly. This wasn’t the first time he had ended up in Hades office, sitting on his desk and waiting for a patch up. He had always been the one to break up fights before they got violent, and there were always times where he couldn’t get there fast enough before they did. “Okay, so you got decked in the face. Where else did you get hit?”

“Left side of my ribs. It knocked the wind out of me.” King half-heartedly laughed, grimacing when a shock of pain got sent up his side.

“You probably have some bruising on your ribs. Worst case scenario is they’re cracked. Either way, you’ll be fine in a couple days.” Hades set a small, black duffle bag on the desk beside his leg. “I need you to strip down to your undershirt so I can check for sure.” King sighed and unbuttoned his vest, letting it fall off his shoulders and onto the desk behind him. He pulled at the tie and loosened it, placing it beside him. Heat was creeping up the back of his neck either from being embarrassed or flustered. He untucked his shirt and watched Hades pull fabric bandages and a couple of ice packs from the bag. He folded his shirt neatly and laid it on top of his tie, using the action to try to compose himself.

“I’d make a witty response about you asking me to strip if I wasn’t in pain.” King smiled, taking an ice pack when Hades handed it to him. Their hands brushed. He pressed the ice against his cheek. Hades snorted and glanced up at him. He swore there was a hint of red in Hades’ face, but he couldn’t be sure because of the low light.

“Don’t worry. I said one for you in my head.” Hades lifted King’s shirt, revealing his chest. He paused, eyes flickering over his skin. A red splotch spread over his left side, with hints of purple already beginning to appear. Hades whistled. “Your face is prettier than this one.”

“Aw, you think I’m pretty?” King retorted, cracking a smile.

“Oh, hush. This looks just nasty.” Hades rolled his eyes. “Hold your shirt up, please.” King used his free hand to do as asked. Hades started to prod at the bruise, feeling the ribs with delicate fingers. King hissed, wincing. “Sorry.” He pressed harder, trying to find any cracks.

“Now I know how you felt when Velika round-housed you that one time,” King joked, grimacing again. Hades gently rubbed the bruise in an apology.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Your sister has a mean kick. She totally snapped my ribs.” He ran his hand back, feeling King’s back. “Does that hurt?”

“No, not at all.”

“Let me try something. Does it hurt to breathe?” Hades rested his hand on the side of his ribs. He watched Hades’ gaze flicker from his own hand over the rest of his chest and back. “Take a deep breath.” King drew in a breath, but couldn’t do it fully. He winced. “I think you have some swelling in the connective tissue. If I press here and apply pressure, it should help with the pain. Can we try that?”

“Yeah, sure.” Hades pressed his hand into the side of King’s ribs. “Now?”

“Yep. Deep breath.” King tried again, and he was able to take in a fairly full breath. “How’s that?”

“Not painful, thankfully.”

“Great. I’m going to wrap a bandage around your ribs. It’ll feel a bit constricting, but it’ll help. I want you to come check in around nine to take a break from the constriction.” Hades grabbed a fabric bandage. He cleared his throat. “Tuck your shirt back in, first. I don’t want this directly on your skin. You have a cracked rib, too. The bandage should help with that.” King slid off the desk and tucked his undershirt, wincing for a moment. He put the ice pack back on his cheek.

Hades wrapped the bandage tightly around his chest, making sure it wasn’t too constricting for him. They were quiet as he worked, tucking in the end of the bandage when he finished. His hands remained where they were for a few seconds before he pulled away and rubbed the back of his neck. King passed the ice pack to Hades, reaching for his shirt. He buttoned it up, tucked it in, and slipped his vest back on. Hades grabbed his tie and placed it around King’s neck, tying it for him. He then buttoned the vest and straightened his manager’s clothing out, eyes soft in the dim light.

“Take it easy, okay? I don’t want you out of commission. You’re all I have.” Hades furrowed his brow slightly, and King felt captured by his soft voice.

“Of course. I’ll be careful. Don’t worry,” King responded, his voice soft. He held Hades’ gaze and gently caught his elbow. “I promise.” They stood quietly for a moment before a knock on the door made them jump.

“Yeah?” Hades called, holding King’s gaze for a beat before turning his head. “Come in.” The door swung in, and Robert poked his head into the office. Hades joined King’s side, hands sunk in his pockets.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t reach King on the coms. We have a Karen type in the restaurant looking for you.” He smiled apologetically and King sighed. “Apparently, Cici’s bubbly personality is offensive and too nice.” Robert pulled a face.

“I’ll walk with you back. Thanks, Robert.” King smiled and smoothed down his hair. He turned back to Hades. “Back to work, as usual. I’ll be careful.”

“No more bar fights tonight, you hear?” Hades touched his shoulder, letting his hand linger.

“I hear you.” King shut the door on his way out and fell into stride next to Robert. “And life continues on,” He muttered, cracking a smile.

 

*~*~*~*

 

Nian passed a glass across the bar top to King, who accepted it gratefully. His jaw ached now, and he refused to speak unless absolutely necessary. He rubbed it absently, blue gaze trained on some far distant thing as he sipped at his whiskey. The longer he passed his hand over his injured cheek, the less it started to hurt. He dropped his hand and stretched his jaw, testing to see if it was okay. He winced when his jaw popped, but all was well from what he could tell.

“Hey, King. How’re you feeling?” Nian asked, leaning against the counter. She smiled, brown eyes lighting up with amusement.

“Better, now that my jaw has stopped hurting. He had a serious right hook.” King set his glass down. “And a sharp elbow. Hades thinks I cracked a rib and have some swelling in the connective tissue. Nothing too serious.”

“Nothing _too_ serious? You cracked a rib!” She drew back, setting the glass she was drying behind her.

“I’ll be fine. You know me, Nian. By tomorrow, I won’t even feel it.” He winked, causing her to laugh. “I’m just sore, really. Hades wrapped a bandage around me to help with the pain.”

“He’s always so caring for us, hmm? It doesn’t even feel like he’s our boss.” Nian smiled fondly, taking up another glass. “And I can’t even begin to explain to you how that makes all of us feel.”

“Oh? Is that a good thing?” King asked, taking another sip of his drink. He watched her over the top of his glass, head slightly tilted.

“It’s a very good thing. My old boss was unapproachable and terrifying. At least with Hades, I know I can go to him if I have an issue or just need to talk. And I feel that way about you, too. You’re my boss, but I never really felt you saw me as inferior,” She explained, shrugging.

“I don’t see any of you as inferiors. I may be in a higher position, but it doesn’t make me superior to you. Hades feels the same way. It’s one of the things we both actively work to avoid.” He sighed and swirled his glass. “Anyways, how are you? We haven’t talked in forever.”

Nian laughed charmingly before being flagged down by a customer. She excused herself. King watched her work, resting his chin in his hand. He lost himself in thought, absently taking sips of his drink. The night had taken such a sharp turn, but it wasn’t the worst night of his life. His mind drifted back to the feeling of being airless. He gripped his glass a little tighter. He couldn’t think about that any longer or it would set him off. Through the air, he heard the raised voice of his boss laughing. He didn’t know where he was, but that never stopped him from being heard. His voice was so distinctive that King could always identify it. He thought it was maybe because he had known him for so long.

He turned and watched the stage from across the bar, his fingers tapping against his glass to the beat. He downed the rest of his whiskey, tipping his head back right as the lights turned off. Newer patrons let out shocked screams or yelps, but the veterans barely flinched. King looked up at the clock, eyes adjusting to the dark very quickly. Midnight.

The black lights flickered to life, and everything continued as usual. King pushed his glass away from him. Nian returned and took it, setting it in a bin under the counter to be washed. She leaned against the counter, the whites of her eyes glowing from the lights.

“I’m doing good. Have had a few ups and downs, but nothing too major.” She picked up their conversation like she hadn’t even walked away.

“How’s your family?”

“Same as always. Mom hates that I work here. Dad wants me to go back to college and get a degree in law. Do something with my life. They claim you lot are a bad influence. Rubbish, I tell you.” King chuckled. “But, I’m happy here and I wouldn’t want things any other way.”

“We could always help you out, you know. Pay for you to go to law, get you in a good firm. Of course, for a price.” He smiled slyly, teeth sharp in the strange light. His eyes looked like they were glowing.

“And get caught up in one of your deals? No way. I’m perfectly content here.” She slapped his hand lightly. His smile changed to one of amusement.

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t offer.” He teased. “I should get back to work. Your shift is almost up, isn’t it?”

“My short day is tomorrow. I’m here for the full twelve hours. Go, King.” He stood and straightened his vest out. “I’m sure there’s some sorry chap out there who could use a deal.” Nian winked and turned away.

King looked out over the waves of patrons. “Suppose I should make a deal tonight.” He set out, eyes scanning faces and people. Someone caught his attention, and he set off for them. People moved out of his way. He came up behind the man and leaned down.

“Hello, there. You seem like you could use a little help. How about a deal?” The man turned around, and King felt his breath catch.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Juniper L on Critique Match for looking this over. They also, I believe, looked over the next chapter...which won't be up for another little bit. School is starting for me soon so I'll be spending as much free time as I have writing and getting this rolling more.  
> Thanks for the kudos, and reviews are always welcome!  
> KateAK

Chapter 5

_ July 18th, 2008 _

King held Hades’ gaze. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Smooth jazz echoed from the streets below the apartment. New Orleans always had some kind of music playing, especially in the French Quarter. The windows were open, and a light breeze blew the curtains in. Sunlight filtered in and lit up the living area. It was just after lunch, so the temperature was at its peak. The scent of food from the cafe under them wafted in on the wind, filling the apartment with the smell of pastries.

“Twos?” King asked, head tilting to the side.

 Hades smirked around the toothpick held between his teeth and shifted it to the corner of his mouth. His poker face had broken in his arrogance and humor. He kept his opponent's stare firmly, brown eyes smoldering in the Louisiana sunlight. Hades took a deep breath, and his smirk widened to a cocky grin. “Go fish.”

King sighed in frustration and whined as he reached forward to the draw pile. He paused with his hand over the cards, an amused expression taking over. “What are we doing?” He laughed and took his card before leaning back. 

Hades was lounging against the chaise with his posture relaxed. The first few buttons of his dress shirt were undone, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

 King traced his stare down his chest before smiling fondly. He loved the days where they could just sit and play card games together. There were no restrictions when they were alone like this. No rules, no names, no roles. They were just two best friends.

“Playing  _ Go Fish _ because it’s the only game that neither of us can cheat at.” Hades chuckled and shook his head. He glanced down at his cards. “We can’t play poker because you refuse to let me shuffle and you always slip cards from the deck.” 

“We can’t play BS because neither of us can lie.” King sorted his cards and laid a pair down.

“And we can’t play cribbage because you burned the board last time.” 

King flushed and turned his head away. It was true, he remembered. They had been playing and drinking one night during a power outage, and King had bumped a candle over. His flush darkened as he recalled the event. “It was an accident, okay?”

Hades threw his head back and laughed. The sound bounced off the walls of the apartment and brightened the atmosphere.

King tried to kick him under the table, but his leg wasn’t long enough. He hit the edge of the table with his knee and cried out in pain. He wasn’t sure if Hades’ face was red from being flustered or from laughing. The stinging in his knee made him wince.

Hades only laughed harder as King cursed at him. He wiped at his eyes and set his cards face down on the table.

“I’ve been thinking. What if we opened up a business together? I know we talked about it briefly the night of the cribbage burning. But, we were both too drunk to even count right, let alone discuss this in full.” He pulled the toothpick from between his teeth and dropped it into his empty glass. 

“We weren’t  _ that _ drunk.” King countered, putting his cards down, too. “At least,  _ I _ wasn’t.”

“You lit a cribbage board on fire.”

“It was an accident! My elbow bumped it when I was - when we - never mind!” He crossed his arms and fought back a blush. King avoided his gaze.

Hades bit the inside of his lip and smiled. “I was thinking we could open a casino together, you know? All the gambling, the drinking...we could draw people in easier instead of doing this hoodoo routine,” Hades explained. “Not that I don’t love it, mind you. I just need a change, I guess.”

“It would certainly be easier than me pretending to be a medium while you knock on the wall.” King laughed. “We’re such con artists.”

“Well, that’s what humanity gets for being so gullible.” 

King’s laughter got louder, and he leaned his head back against the couch. 

“It’s true!” Hades exclaimed. That only made King laugh harder. 

“That’s why I’m laughing!” 

 Hades couldn’t keep himself from smiling as he shook his head. King took a moment to calm down and take a deep breath. 

“You done?”

“Yeah, I believe so.”

“So..what do you think?” 

King collected the cards from the table and started to shuffle them. It was a good idea, he thought. A more honest job for them rather than going from city to city as con artists. Neither of them liked to lie to people. 

“I rather like it, actually. You know I like playing cards and gambling in general. And, honestly, it would be so much easier to make deals with people. Why haven’t we thought of this before?” Hades shrugged.

“Maybe we just had to get drunk and-”

“Don’t finish that sentence if it’s going to end with another joke about me lighting the cribbage board on fire.” King mock threatened.

“Actually, not what I was going to say. I was going to talk about the  _ other _ thing.” Hades quirked an eyebrow at him.

 King started to blush again, and he looked down at the cards in his hands. 

“Anyway, we need to figure out details before we really get into it. We need a theme and a new way to classify the deals.”

King dealt three cards face down on the table and cocked his head to the side. He thought about it for a moment and tapped the first card.

“First classification.” He turned it over, revealing the Ace of Hearts. “Love, friendship, matters of the heart. Those types of things.” Hades hummed. 

“That’s a good idea.” King tapped the second card and turned it over. The Ace of Spades pointed back at them.

“The illegal types of things. Disposing of unwanted persons, sabotaging other companies... _ those _ things.” King flipped the final card, and Hades threw a pillow at him. 

“You- was that in there the whole time?” He shouted, and King burst into laughter as he nodded. “I guess we can’t play  _ Go Fish _ either, since you tried to cheat at that, too!” 

“All things aside-”

“I’m  _ so _ going to get you for that one.” Hades threatened, shaking his head. He crossed his arms and sat up off the back of the chaise. “Now, what is the Joker?”

“Everything else. Political figures asking to be elected, a promotion at a job, and anything that doesn’t fit into the top two.” Hades bit his lip and furrowed his brow. King’s gaze flickered over his features and lingered on his lips for a moment. “Thoughts?”

“I like it. Any ideas on what to name this place?” Hades rested his elbows on his knees and toyed with the ring on his finger. The collar of his shirt hung open, revealing part of his chest. 

King hummed in thought as he absently stared at Hades’ exposed skin. He swept the cards back up. He passed them through each other. 

“What about...Midnight?  _ Midnight Casino _ .” He offered, meeting Hades’ watchful eye.

“I love it. Now, let’s play a game of double solitaire and work out the nuances. I’ll find the other deck.” Hades started for the cabinet behind King before pausing by the couch. “Have I ever told you how perfect you are?” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. 

King smiled, a light flush blossoming over his cheeks. He shuffled through the deck to pull out the joker card as Hades went to retrieve his pack.

_ The Midnight Casino _ opened in September of the following year.


End file.
